Laundry drying rack



s. PAwLANsKY 2,481,443

LAUNDRY DRYING RACK Sept. 6, 1949.

Filed oct. 15, 1947 2 sheets-sheet 1 s. PAWLANSKY LAUNDRY DRYING RACKSept 6, H949., 2,481,443

Filed Oct. 15, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 19 w l N Y Zd Z! Z5 Z9 l /Av f@ 4fa- 4 3.0 JNVENTOR.'

5a/72 az/hm/y By Patented Sept. 6, 1949 LUNDRY DRYING RACK.

Sam Pawlansky, Chicago, I'll., now by judicial change'of name; Sam-Women Sam I Application October 1'5, 1947, `Serial.N`0."78'0,I).'18

7 Claims..

'I'he present invention relates' to laundry racks' to hang laundry fordrying.

The principal' object of` the present invention is the provision of alaundry rack of acompact nature consistent with the required degree ofexposure to the air of the laundry surf-aces for rapid evaporation. 1

Another object' of the invention is thel provision in'- a laundry rackof aplurality of in dividual' hanging membersA which may beV easilyextended into an operative` position in the rack or readilydetachedtherefrom when not inV use.

A still'. further object of the present invention is the provision ofmeans for `maintaining the laundry hanging members in a taut conditionwhen in an operative position' in *therack in order to prevent theirsaggingv when under the load of laundry; Y

With the above' general objects in View and others that will appearast-he invention is' better understood,the same consistsA in the n'ovelconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more'fully described, illustrated in the accompanying dra-wings and pointedout in the appended" claims;

In thev drawings forming a part of this application;

Fig. 1 isa side` elevational View ofthe rack, partly in section;

Fig. 2"is an' end'elevational viewthereof;

Fig. 3'is an eniarged', fragmentary; perspective view of' onezcorner'ofthe-rack;`

Fig. 4' is a side elevational View ofthe rack provided with hangingmembers of a modied form;

Fig. V5,is'an end elevational View thereof;

Fig. 6..is a similar Viewor the opposite end of the rack;

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of av tape-mounting and'tape actuatingmember; and' Fig. 8 is' atop plan View of the free end ofA the laundrysupporting tape.

Referring to' the present drawings in detail there is` shown therein arack which includes four corneru posts Il); one-side pair of which isrigidly connected at their' lower ends by side brace I'I, andthe end.pairsl of` which areV connected at'. their` lower ends by end bracesl2'. A pair of opposedsid'e posts Ii) is connectedl at the upper end*thereof by means of the upper side brace I3; Each post,v ID' carries atllits lower end caster I4', whereby the rack may be rolled upon theiioor` without necessity' of' lifting the same.

Cooperating- `with thel rack hereinabove described is means'forsupporting a plurality' of cords upon which `laundry to' be dried: maybe suspended.v vSaid means" includes a plurality ofA bars I5, in aspaced' mutual relation, positioned'. 4within and rigidly aiiixedto eachof the end posts II). Bars I5 withinone' pair' of end' posts I0' are on.the same horizontal. plane asA corresponding bars I5 within. theopposite' pair. of end posts Il). Since' said'rbars :I5 rigidly connecteach pair of end .posts It); additionalbraees' such as endbraces .I'Zmaybe eliminated'.

integrally formed witheachof'said bars |15', and upwardly projecting.thereirom',r is la. plurality of lugsv I6.' Said lugs I'Glare not. onthe vertical' plane of .each bar I5, butcurye toward the transversecenter of the rack, or the purpose .of rendering thev outer facesthereof.arcuate.y

Cooperating with said. bars I.5Y and'l'ugs .I6, is a plurality .of cordsII", .each attached by its end to handle I'8` Each end of' cord' I'I isreceivable between a. pair. ofladj'aeent lugs I6, with handle I'8remaining outwardly ,of `said lugs IB. Application of manual pressure.upon the un.- engaged handle,y I8' will' cause the latter to ride uponthe arcuate outer. `faces, of a pair of 4adiacentf lugs I6, thereby.stretching cord 'I1' and maintaining the same in a taut' condition.

As many cords .II' may bev employed as there are pairs of opposed' lugsvI5 in apair of opposed bars I5.

Asimany pairs of opposed bars vI5 maybe provided in the rack as may .bedesired', depending upon the height of' posts 'I'Ill and' the desired'degree of compactness of .the rack.

From the` hereinabove. description it will be apparent that each cord IIis readily attachable to the rackas well as removable' therefrom,thereby. eliminating 'handling andv stretching of a l lengthy cord. Y

When cords I1 are not.v in use, one 'handle I.8 I

thereof may be removed' from onepair of lugs I6 and replacedatlthe'ipairthereof where the'other handle VI3 is engaged, therebydoubling cord". I1'

and suspending the lsanierverticall'y from one bar' I5, as is'indicated' byj'dottedll'ines in Fig. 1'. Such handling of cord` I1.which is notin use does not necessitate its complete' removal from. therack, therebyl eliminatingits 'lbss.' Y Y It should be understood thatcord I1 may be substituted by a tape :made .of cloth, glass fiber,plastic or metal .such as the' tape used'in another form of Vtheraclr,shown in Figs. 4' to 8,' and' presently described:

. The modi'ed' form-fof the laundry suspending means, includes akpluralityfoflugs I9', integrally' reel casing 23 is a metallic,comparatively narrowtape 24, which by its inner end is axed toreelcasing 23. Windings of tape 24 and reelcasing 23 are enclosed within ahousingggvvhicheincludesi peripheral wall 25 and a pair of circular sideWalls 26. Said side walls 26 aregsetupon shaftr2 I v e tion',sai'dlmeans including rings at the free ends through central openingsmade" therewithin, through which shaft 2| extends. 25 has slit 21 madetherein, through which tape Periphei'alyvallY 24 extendsoutwardly.fromthesaidhousingf Set upon Yshaft 2| and interposed betweeneachhousff ing 25-f2 6,` as wellf,as` -.b'etwee the outermost 28. 1INT1..- 1 :rrr V Y It isobvserved thatlvvhnzthe full length of tape 24is Wound upon reel casing, 23,l coil spring 22 behousings andtheadjacentfposts I ll, are spacers comes unWound. While tape 24 -ispulledlout, of

housing 25T-26,v` coil spring".` 22 is v1 Wound. When howevermanualhold,oijfanyfengageinent at the extendedendfo'f tape24isrelea'sed, coilfspring v22 tends to unwindjtherfebyfcausin rotationof reel casingr23 ,forwindinfgjl'tape I2 herearound. If

Y desired, side Walls ,2 ofthe housing, may be soldered or otherwise,rigidly aiiixed 'to shaftv 2|.

Spacers 28 mayoptionall'ybe.eithenaiixedto shaft 2| or positionedloosely thereon,

1t iS further ob'gery'ed hat rigSj-zg *aref-Wider-f than their, tapes24, and;Wider-hanjhousings 25,--2|,.byvirtueofv which arrangement saidrings 29 do not pass through slitsf 2'| butfremainroutL wardlyofperipheralgvvalls:2 5'1When said tapes 24 are fully Ywoundaroundrelcasing's123."

Pulling ,upon ring`l129 wilLfextehd tape 24and when the latter has been"extended las far, as the opposed bar 20, ringvZljis` thenengaged atoneof the lugs I9, as seenin vFi'gj5. Thislwillcondition. tape 24 toreceive thereon laundry,. as isseenin Fig. 4. Ring 29isswiveiied'witnirjrioop ,3o made in the free end of tape 24; Y- As isseen in Figs. 2 andl5, onepair of side posts` I 0 is devoid of braces II-`and fl3, thereby aiiording an unobstructed access to the rack fromthat sidev for the purpose of han tape 2,4, or hanging orremoving'laundry. r

:ling cordSgI 'If,' operating` While there is, described hereinapreferredem` bodimentofthe present invention-'itis neverthe less to Vbeunderstood that minor changes may be made therein without departingfromjthe spiritv and scope Vof the inventionas ,lclairned WhatIclaimaSneWiS:l-

1v. AY portable laundry drying` an upright support V"at e'alchn'dtherepf, ,meansl for rigidly :interconnectin'glsaid 'upright'supports, supporting members carried by. each. of said up- -rally Woundaround said reel, said tape being acd tuated byfspring tension tomaintain the same in ia taut'e'xtended condition, lugs carried by asupporting 'member at Vthe opposite end of the rack, and means forVvengaging said exible tapes with said lugs Whensaidvtapes are in anextended posi- \ofsaidfiiexible tapes insertable over said lugs.

3. A portable laundry fdrying rack comprising an upright support ,atgeach. end thereof, `means for rigidly interconnecting saidupi'ight'suppoits,

supporting members carriedgrby; said upright"sup.u` ports, hangingmembers mounted upon a. su'psaid hanging 4members' including.v aseparate spiriti.;v independently and individually operable :reel and Yextensible". tape? spirallfsf'" Woundaround said reel, lugs carried. bya support ing member at the opposite Yend ofthe rack, eac

a cooperatingY vliexible engaging said lugs Whenfsaid tapesA reinam inof said lugs cooperating `vvith one offsaidhanging I members, ringsatthe freeends of saidtape fior an extendedpositionfand.manslformaintaining.

mainin an extendedposition. f;

"said rtapes inV taut condition .When the latterrree;

4. A port ble laundry. drying-rack comprisingYv an upright supportateach end thereof, means for rigidly interconnecting said uprightsupports;

a shaft rigidly supported by an `upright. support, a pluralitywoflseparateand independently` and inf; dividually ,operable hanging.,members; mounted upon Ysaid shaft, jeach of said hanging inembers',g`including .areel, aspiraLSDIng Wound aroundf- 3i said shaft, the innerend ofi,said springgbeingg afxedto said shaft, the outerend ofsaidspring Y being connected With'said reel, and a cooperating lflexibletape spirally Wound around said reelY and by'its inner end afhxed'tosaid reel, 4spacersy .mounted upon said shaft, one positioned betweenapair of adjacent hanging meinbersfa bar-rigidly supported by anuprightsupport,saidshaftandf. said bar being on-the same horizontal'plane, a

plurality of lugs carriedbyrsaid bar, and a ring carried by the outerend of said tape,sai"d ring engagingoneof said lugs vvhenY said tape. ise" tended from. said.reel, said .spring remainingr iii a Wound conditionfor maintaining said tapefina taut condition.

5. A portable laundry4 drying rackcpinprising anupright supportateachend thereoffa, shaft rigidly supported by an'uprig'ht Vsupport,f,a,.plu

rality of separate and independently and indil d vidually operable reelsmountedin an encompass,-

rightsupports, hanging members'Y/nounted :upon l a supporting member atan lend. of 'thev rack.- each independently,1 land in` actuated reel anda coopera mg ilexible'tapjspituated by' springtension to maintain thesamein i rallywound aroundsaid'reel, sai'dtape.be'eingac-C.

a taut extendedY condition, lugs carried by aesu'p-Y l! ing spacedrelation 'withsaidshafa al spiral spring f i. Wound around saidshaft ineach. of said reels, the inner end of said springbeing aixed' tosaidffshaft, the outer end oi said spring being'co'n#` nected Witheachof ,said reels-.a, exible tape spirally Wound around each reelfthefinnerend.,VV of each tape beingafxed to eachA reel, when Va pull at lthefreeendof said ltapei'simparted said.. f

be extended from saidreel,

tape being: adapted to and means within the opposite support for 'engag-Q same in an extended position, by virtue of the extension of said tapesaid reel rotating and winding said spring and thereby increasing itstension, the Wound spring exerting tension upon said tape formaintaining the latter in a taut condition while the same is extended.

6. A portable laundry drying rack comprising an upright support at eachend thereof, a shaft rigidly supported by one of said upright supports,a plurality of separate and independently and individually operablereels mounted in an encompassing spaced relation With said shaft, aspiral spring Wound around said shaft, the inner end of said springbeing affixed to said shaft, the outer end of said spring beingconnected With said reel, a flexible tape spirally Wound around saidreel, the inner end of said tape being affixed to said reel, when a pullat the free end of said tape is imparted said tape being adapted to beextended from said reel, a bar supported by the opposite support, a lugcarried by said bar, a ring carried by the free end of said tape forengaging said lug when said tape is in an extended position, during theprocess of extension of said tape said reel rotating for winding saidspring for increasing its tension, the tension of said spring actingupon said tape for maintaining the latter in a taut condition when thesame remains in an extended position.

'7. In a portable laundry drying rack, a frame including a support ateach end thereof, a shaft rigidly mounted upon one of said supports, areel mounted in an encompassing spaced relation with said shaft, aspiral spring Wound around said shaft and Within said reel, the innerend of said spring being aflixed to said shaft, the outer end of saidspring being connected with said reel, a iiexible tape spirally Woundaround said reel, the inner end of said tape being affixed to said reel,when a pull at the free end of said tape is imparted said tape beingadapted to be extended from said reel, and means at the opposite of saidsupports for engaging the free end of said tape for maintaining the samein an extended position, the extension of said tape imparting a rotarymovement to said reel for Winding said spring and increasing the tensionthereof, the tension of said spring acting upon said tape formaintaining the latter in a taut condition when the same remains in anextended position.

SAM PAWLANSKY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 84,928 Acker Dec. 15, 1868352,021 Williams Nov. 2, 1886 498,080 Oppenheimer May 23, 1893 840,267Stebbins Jan. 1, 1907 993,491 Wiselogel May 30, 1911 1,740,899 MooneyDec. 24, 1929 1,804,975 Eisenstein May 12, 1931 2,106,053 Laingor Jan.18, 1938 2,110,210 Evans Mar. 8, 1938 2,206,174 Falk July 2, 19402,370,520 Bondel Feb. 27, 1945

